The Machickanee Players will be presenting Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” at the Park Avenue Theatre in Oconto, Wisconsin in February 2024. The show is an original and faithful adaptation of Shelley’s 1818 novel of science fiction, horror, tragedy, and romanticism.
“Frankenstein” stars TRAVIS RYSEWYK as Victor Frankenstein and JAMIE ‘BONES’ BRAUNSDORF as The Creature. Travis is a veteran actor who has appeared in several productions with both the Machickanee Players and Abrams Spotlight Productions, including “Insane with Power”, “The Foreigner”, “The Mousetrap”, and “Lustful Youth”. Bones is a newcomer to the Machickanee Players, but a veteran haunt actor with extensive experience at both Terror on the Fox and Green Bay Fear.
Rounding out the cast are ADAM REINKE as Captain Robert Walton; JENNY WARPEHOSKI-FULCHER as Elizabeth Lavenza and Agatha; ALFRED OSMON as Walton’s First Officer and Henry Clerval; SUSIE MOZEY as Mary Shelley, Margaret Saville, and Caroline Beaufort; JAHN MOZEY as Alphonse Frankenstein and Monsieur Krempe; ARISSA DAKINS as Justine Moritz; JON BORNEMANN as Monsieur Waldman, Dr. John Seward, De Lacey, and the Magistrate, and DEVON WAUTERS as Felix.
Behind the scenes are MICHAEL HOLLANDER as lights and sound technician, MARLA VAN LANEN and ADDISON DAKINS as stage managers, and CATHY NELSEN and LEIGH MOORE on costumes and makeup.
“Shelley’s novel is – in my opinion – one of the greatest pieces of literature ever written,” said GREG ‘CAPTAIN’ HOLBUS, the show’s writer, director, and set designer, who has also served as the Machickanee Players’ president for the past two years. “I’ve seen a lot of different adaptations in both television and film, and while some have done the novel more justice than others, none of them have been terribly faithful to the novel. I felt it important to produce a version of the story that was as faithful to the original text as I could make.”
A veteran haunt actor and freelance craftsman, Greg has spent much of his life immersed in various punk subcultures. “By and large, punks are among the kindest, friendliest, and most thoughtful people I’ve ever met. Yet they are perceived by most as black sheep and often mistreated because they don’t conform to the expectations of ordinary society. Sharing stories like “Frankenstein” are an opportunity for people to reflect on humanity’s predilection for judging others.”
These themes inspired Greg to collaborate with another nonprofit organization, Haunters Against Hate, to make exclusively-designed shirts available to show patrons for purchase. Show tickets and shirts can both be purchased through the Machickanee Players’ ticket platform, Ludus.
The standard show dates are Friday February 9th at 7pm, Saturday February 10th at 7pm, Sunday February 11th at 2pm, Friday February 16th at 7pm, Saturday February 17th at 7pm, and Sunday February 18th at 2pm. Dinner catered from the Wooden Spoon in Lena is available as an optional add-on for attendees of the Friday and Saturday shows (starting at 6pm). Pie from OJ’s Midtown Café is available as an optional add-on for attendees of the Sunday matinees.
Additionally, there will be a special Valentine’s Day presentation on Wednesday February 14th at 7pm. Although dinner and pie will not be available, special holiday-themed treats will be provided to attendees that evening at no additional charge.
Finally, there will be an encore presentation on Sunday February 18th at 6pm dubbed “Frankenstein: In Stitches”, in which the cast will be let off the leash to perform an improvised parody version of the show with “no rules and no rehearsals” – so expect a lot of jokes, pranks, mischief, fourth wall breaks, and probably some NSFW content!
Machickanee Players 
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